Election 2009: Traffic at polls slow, but steady

Photo/Alex von Kleydorff. Ballot Official Henry Hughes watches as Mario Lara casts his vote with his daughter 7yr old Skylark at Westover Magnet School in Stamford''s District 9 .

Photo/Alex von Kleydorff. Ballot Official Henry Hughes watches as Mario Lara casts his vote with his daughter 7yr old Skylark at Westover Magnet School in Stamford''s District 9 .

Image
1of/1

Caption

Close

Image 1 of 1

Photo/Alex von Kleydorff. Ballot Official Henry Hughes watches as Mario Lara casts his vote with his daughter 7yr old Skylark at Westover Magnet School in Stamford''s District 9 .

Photo/Alex von Kleydorff. Ballot Official Henry Hughes watches as Mario Lara casts his vote with his daughter 7yr old Skylark at Westover Magnet School in Stamford''s District 9 .

Election 2009: Traffic at polls slow, but steady

1 / 1

Back to Gallery

By CHASE WRIGHT

Times Staff Writer

STAMFORD -- Traffic at the 20 polling stations in Stamford was slow but steady on Tuesday, with 39 percent of registered voters showing up to cast their ballots, the registrar's office said.

Final tallies indicate 22,689 out of 57,304 registered voters cast their ballots on Election Day. Tuesday marked the first election in 14 years where an incumbent didn't head the ticket.

"Turnout was a little better than I expected it would be," said Alice Fortunato, Democratic registrar of voters.

Although voter turnout was modest, the numbers this year still pale in comparison to last year's presidential election, when 82 percent of registered voters came out to the polls. The last municipal election in 2007 generated a turnout of 33 percent, less than this year, but close when considering the high stakes of the 2009 race.

Michael Pavia beat Democratic challenger David Martin, ushering a new era of Republican rule in Stamford.

"Some pretty interesting things happened in this election," Fortunato said. "There was a huge power shift. This is what happens when you have a strong personality on the head of the ticket. Not that David Martin isn't a great guy, but he doesn't have the history Mike (Pavia) has in Stamford."

Pavia carried 12 districts, winning in the most heavily populated areas of North Stamford, including Martin's 19th District. Pavia garnered a total of 13,174 votes to Martin's 10,576. Green Party candidate Rolf Maurer brought in a total of 146 votes.

At the polls on Tuesday, moderators characterized the traffic as "slow but steady."

Residents at a number of polling stations commented that voting in this year's election was important because it marks a big change in Stamford's direction.

"We have a chance for change," said Megan Backes, a District 1 resident who cast her ballot at Our Lady Star of the Sea church on Shippan Avenue. "I'm a Republican and I think people have hope and are ready for that change."

Backes said she hopes to see more accountability for discretionary spending and more transparency in government.

"Taxes are through the roof and what do we have to show for it?" she said.

Shippan resident Ellen Dougherty said she also voted along the conservative line.

"I'm ready to see conservative values in our elected officials," she said. "Less spending, more fiscal responsibility, more thoughtful city planning, focus on education. Voting is so American, it's what everybody should be doing today."

Cherryl Thompson, a Jamaican immigrant and first-time voter agreed.

"Mr. Martin Luther King and a lot of other dignitaries died to give us this privilege and as a citizen I would like to have that privilege," she said. "I've lived here for 10 months. I saw how the last election went and I was very jealous that I didn't get a chance to vote. I am very happy that I am voting this year."

Today's Top Insider StoriesOur journalists provide in-depth analysis and reporting about the people, places and issues that matter most to you. Subscribers get access to all of their comprehensive coverage.Stories from Insider